emDocs - January 14, 2015 - By Jennifer A. Walker MD (EM/Critical Care Physician)
Edited by Alex Koyfman MD and Stephen Alerhand MD
"Soft tissue infections are a common diagnosis in the emergency department. The ability to quickly identify infections that are more profound and to intervene in a timely manner remains the responsibility of the emergency physician. Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rare but deadly infection that is a surgical emergency. Unfortunately, due to the rarity of the disease as well as the fact that diagnosis is made in the operative theater, delay in diagnosis is common. This case describes the clinical characteristics of an 82-year-old woman who presented to the emergency department with a rapidly-progressing, necrotizing infection of her finger."
http://www.emdocs.net/necrotizing-fasciitis/